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May 21, 2025

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Moore to Veto Reparations Bill

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Gov. Wes Moore (D) announced Friday that he will veto the Reparations Commission bill that called for a study of historic inequality endured by African descendants in Maryland.

The veto of a reparations measure by the only sitting Black governor in the nation was included a list of vetoed bills, many of which called for summer study of an issue, typically the most innocuous type of legislation. The list of 23 bills was released late Friday afternoon by the governor’s office.

In one of his veto letters, Moore said the study bills were vetoed for financial reasons: The state’s current budget requires a hard look at “bills that create expensive and labor intensive studies,” Moore wrote.

“While such bills can be a first step to addressing complex issues and allow the signaling of support for an issue, the practice has become so commonplace that it is now a significant fiscal and staff burden on state government,” the veto letter said.

Sponsors began getting the news of the coming vetoes of their bills Friday afternoon, and chatter was widespread before the official announcement. Reparations was the most high-profile bill to be shot down, but others learned of the demise of bills to study the effects of climate change and to look at the impact of data centers on the state, among other issues.

Moore’s list also includes a bill in the energy package backed by House and Senate leadership, which created a Strategic Energy Planning Office focused on the state’s energy needs.

Reaction was swift, and in some cases angry, from lawmakers, who were already discussing veto overrides.

“The governor is my friend. I think a lot of him, but I am very disappointed in him today,” said Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D-Prince George’s), who sponsored the Senate version of the reparations bill. “I’m very disappointed that something like this, that Black communities across the country have been asking for, it’s turned down in our state.”

List of vetoed bills

Gov. Wes Moore (D) announced Friday that he will veto 23 bills passed by the 2025 General Assembly — more than in the previous two years combined, when he vetoed 13 and four, respectively. This year’s vetoes included some high-profile proposals, including a bill to create reparations study commission and another to look at the impact of data centers.

  • SB980: Natural Resources – Maryland Heritage Areas Authority – Funding and Grants

  • HB56/SB177: Local Food Purchasing

  • HB0328: State Lottery – Instant Ticket Lottery Machines – Veterans’ and Fraternal Organizations

  • HB0482: Occupational Licensing and Certification – Criminal History – Predetermination Review Process

  • HB1116: Public Safety – State Clearinghouse for Missing Persons

  • SB655: AI Evidence Pilot

  • SB149/HB128: “RENEW Study” Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation – Total Assessed Cost of Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Study and Reports

  • SB691/HB333: Healthcare Ecosystem Cyber Work Group

  • SB909/HB1037: Energy Resource Adequacy Planning Act

  • Operating Funds: Fund Study by Comptroller Required by SB149

  • Operating Funds: MSDE Three Positions to Assist LEAs with Cybersecurity

  • HB384/SB157: Disability Service Animal Program

  • SB121: Vehicle Laws – Noise Abatement Monitoring Systems Pilot Program – Inspection and Extension

  • SB168: Confined Aquatic Disposal Cells – Construction – Moratorium

  • SB0227: Workers’ Compensation – Payment From Uninsured Employers’ Fund – Revisions

  • HB193/SB219: Uninsured Employers’ Fund – Assessments and Special Monitor

  • SB0972: Anne Arundel County – Board of License Commissioners – Alterations

  • SB503/HB481: Washington County – Board of License Commissioners – Membership

  • HB1316: Primary and Secondary Education – Youth-Centric Technology and Social Media Resource Guide

  • SB116/HB270: Data Center Impact Study

  • SB0455: Security Guard Agencies – Special Police Officers – Application for Appointment

  • HB628: Highways – Sidewalks and Bicycle Pathways – Construction and Reconstruction

  • SB587: State Government – Maryland Reparations Commission

In his reparations veto letter, the governor wrote he appreciated the leadership of the Legislative Black Caucus, but added, “I strongly believe now is not the time for another study. Now is the time for continued action that delivers results for the people we serve.” He noted that Maryland has launched several commissions and study groups in the last 25 years, including the Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission to Coordinate the Study, Commemoration and Impact of Slavery’s History and Legacy in Maryland.

But House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) said in a statement that as the first Black woman to serve as speaker, and “the niece of an original plaintiff who laid the foundation for Brown v. Board of Education,” she carries “a deep and personal understanding of how our past is not some distant chapter.”

“Reconciling the pain and injustice of the past is our moral obligation and essential to progress,” Jones wrote.

She said she was proud of the work done by the House this year, adding “the work is not done.”

“I remain committed to working alongside all our partners to continue righting historical inequities,” Jones wrote.

David Schuhlein, a spokesperson for Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City), said “the Senate will closely evaluate each veto from the Governor’s Office and have more details on possible action in the near future.”

Sen. Katie Fry Hester (D-Howard and Montgomery) sponsored the strategic energy office legislation, which passed the Senate on a 43-3 vote.

“I am surprised by the Governor’s veto, especially because we worked closely with the Public Service Commission on this legislation,” she said in a statement. “I look forward to better understanding his rationale and will work with leadership in the Legislature to determine next steps.”

Moore cited the bill’s fiscal note, which estimated the cost at $4.4 million to $5.3 million annually, for an office he said overlapped with other state agencies. “This cost would ultimately be passed along to Maryland ratepayers at a time when we are actively working to limit their burden, not add to it,” Moore wrote.

Hester also sponsored the RENEW Act, which would have commissioned a study from the comptroller’s office on the effects of greenhouse gas emissions in the state. It was a milder alternative to the original language, which would have called for a system to make businesses that extract fossil fuels pay fees to mitigate the effects of climate change.

“I think a study is a very reasonable next step, and the money was allocated in the budget,” Hester said. “This is very shortsighted, because this is a bill that will eventually save taxpayers money.”

The bill was to be funded mostly by $500,000 from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund, which is fueled by “alternative compliance payments” that utilities pay when they have not purchased enough renewable energy to comply with state mandates. That fund has ballooned in recent years with an influx of payments, including $318 million in fiscal 2024.

Climate advocates were angered by the move. Mike Tidwell, founder and director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, called the governor’s veto of the RENEW study “unforgivable.”

“I will make sure that voters in the state never forget what he’s done with this veto,” Tidwell said, adding that the governor’s office expressed no reservations about the bill as recently as mid-March.

The veto was “inconceivable,” given that Maryland has thousands of miles of shoreline vulnerable to climate change, and the $500,000 study could have paved the way toward collecting what Tidwell said could ultimately be billions of dollars in compensatory payments from fossil fuel companies.

“His math doesn’t add up. His political calculus is arguably even worse, because turning his back on Marylanders suffering from climate change today is an enormously politically damaging act,” Tidwell said.

Sen. Karen Lewis Young (D-Frederick) said she heard from the governor’s team Friday that her bill, studying the potential financial, environmental and energy effects of data centers in Maryland would be among the vetoes. In Frederick, development of an expansive Quantum Loophole campus has been underway for years, prompting Lewis Young’s interest in the subject.

“I’m really disappointed that, given what a big topic this is for the state — and in particular for my county — that we wouldn’t proceed with a study,” Lewis Young said.

Lewis Young said she was surprised to learn of the veto, especially given that the governor’s team did not express any reservations about the bill or its cost during the legislative session. The report was to cost about $502,000, with funds pulled from the Maryland Department of the Environment, the Maryland Energy Administration and the University System of Maryland, according to its fiscal note.

More economical still was the reparations bill: Versions that failed in previous years had price tags around $1 million, but the version on the governor’s desk this year was only expected to cost $54,500. The bill called for most of the work to be done by existing state employees or by researchers at Morgan State University, one of the state’s four historically black colleges and universities.

The bill’s supporters have pointed out repeatedly that the measure does not require any payments or support. It only calls for study of historic inequality suffered by African descendants, and recommendations for future action, if any.

“It’s not as though it was going to do something. It’s a study,” Muse said Friday evening. “When have we known a study to cause a veto? At the end of the study, nothing else has been done, except we studied it. I don’t understand it. I will not understand it.”

Advocates rallied in Annapolis a week ago, urging the governor to sign the bill, which had the backing of the Legislative Black Caucus. The caucus released a statement to express “deep disappointment” in the governor’s decision and to say the “legislature will have a final say” when lawmakers meet to consider veto overrides.

“At a time when the White House and Congress are actively targeting Black communities, dismantling diversity initiatives and using harmful coded language, Governor Moore had a chance to show the country and the world that here in Maryland we boldly and courageously recognize our painful history and the urgent need to address it,” the caucus said in a statement Friday evening.

“Instead, the State’s first Black governor chose to block this historic legislation that would have moved the state toward directly repairing the harm of enslavement,” the statement said.

But the veto had some defenders: Larry Gibson, who wrote a letter to the Baltimore Banner on the issue this week, agreed with Moore that another study is not what’s needed.

“We must use this opportunity to maximize this benefit with some degree of urgency. Kicking the can down the road with another study that produces a report … is just wasting a missed opportunity to get real progress done,” Gibson said Friday.

Gibson, who will retire this month after 50 years teaching at the University of Maryland Francis Carey School of Law, declined to offer specific suggestions, but he said advocacy groups that deal with topics such as housing, law enforcement and education are better situated to provide solutions that may or may not need legislative approval.

“They’ve got ideas and things that can be done by the administration without legislation. Push for and demand that they be done now,” he said.

The bill called for the creation of a commission that would assess specific federal, state and local policies from 1877 to 1965, the post-Reconstruction and Jim Crow eras that “led to economic disparities based on race, including housing, segregation and discrimination, redlining, restrictive covenants, and tax policies.”

The all-volunteer commission would also have examined how public and private institutions may have benefited from those policies, and would then recommend appropriate reparations, which could include statements of apology, monetary compensation, social service assistance, business incentives or child care costs.

The 24-member commission would have had to deliver a preliminary report of recommendations by Jan. 1, 2027, to explain any findings, and a final report by Nov. 1 of that year.

Maryland is one of just a handful of states that have passed legislation to study reparations, including California, Illinois, New York and Colorado.

By Christine Condon, William J. Ford and Bryan P. Sears

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Maryland Loses Coveted AAA Bond Rating

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Maryland lost its treasured “triple triple-A” bond rating Wednesday, when a key bond-rating agency downgraded its assessment of the state’s creditworthiness to Aa1.

The move by Moody’s ends more than three decades in which Maryland held the highest bond rating from the three rating agencies: Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch.

Moody’s had given Maryland an Aaa rating every year since 1973 — until Wednesday. The rating agency also downgraded half a dozen other state borrowing programs in its report.

In its reasoning for the downgrade, Moody’s said Maryland continues to have a “wealthy and diverse economy,” solid financial planning and that officials had recently addressed budget problems “through a combination of tax increases and restraints on expenditures.” But those were not enough to offset concerns about looming financial challenges, the report said.

“The downgrade was driven by economic and financial underperformance compared to Aaa-rated states, which is expected to continue given the state’s heightened vulnerability to shifting federal policies and employment, and its elevated fixed costs,” Moody’s wrote in its report.

Prior to Wednesday’s announcement, Maryland was one of 14 states to have the highest rating from the three major agencies — Fitch, Moody’s and Standard & Poors.

In a forceful response to the downgrade, the state’s top five Democrats — Gov. Wes Moore, Senate President Bill Ferguson (Baltimore City), House Speaker Adrienne Jones (Baltimore County), Comptroller Brook Lierman and Treasurer Dereck Davis — laid the blame on the White House doorstep of Republican President Donald Trump

“To put it bluntly, this is a Trump downgrade. Over the last one hundred days, the federal administration’s decisions have wreaked havoc on the entire region, including Maryland,” their joint statement said.

“Thousands of federal workers are losing their jobs. Actual and proposed cuts to everything from health care to education will continue to exact an incalculable toll on Maryland and states across the country,” the statement said.

But Maryland Republicans said warnings about the state’s financial problems came well before Trump, and said the downgrade should be a signal that the state cannot tax its way out of problems anymore.

“This is Moody’s saying that Maryland’s propensity to raise taxes is not enough any more,” Senate Minority Leader Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Upper Shore) said Wednesday.

“People can move. They can work in other states,” he said. “They (Moody’s) are looking at the potential for economic growth in the state and it’s not enough.”

House Minority Leader Jason C. Buckel (R-Allegany) pushed back on the suggestion that it’s “a Trump downgrade.” He pointed to warnings from fiscal analysts in November and again in January of billions in structural budget gaps driven by higher spending on Medicaid, child care subsidies and, in later years, the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education reforms.

Last year, Moody’s itself cited “escalating expenditures in education and healthcare, combined with elevated retirement benefit liabilities” when it reaffirmed the state’s Aaa bond rating, but downgraded the outlook from stable to negative. Wednesday’s downgrade “should come as no surprise to anyone” who follows the state budget, Buckel said.

“This was well before President Trump’s reelection and before any federal retrenchment. Foisting the blame anywhere but at the feet of the excessive spending championed by Maryland’s Democratic party is, at best, disingenuous,” Buckel said in a statement.

Decades without a downgrade

Besides Moody’s, which gave Maryland an Aaa rating in 1973, Standard & Poor’s first rated Maryland Aaa in 1961 and Fitch has given it that ranking since 1993.

Maryland maintained its Aaa rating from Moody’s through five recessions — including the Great Recession — the 2013 federal budget sequestration, and the COVID-19 pandemic. But Trump’s approach in his first 100 days, focused on slashing federal spending and employment and moving to wipe out entire programs or agencies, has rattled that confidence.

A triple-A rating means the state pays the lowest rates when it sells bonds to fund public projects. The downgrade means the state — and taxpayers — could  pay more in interest on the money the state borrows.

The next bond sale is scheduled for June 11.

It is not yet clear if the shift by one agency will increase the state’s interest rate or decrease or eliminate bond premiums — fees bond buyers pay the state in return for higher interest rates and a guarantee that the bonds will not be called for specific time periods. Premiums can be used to offset the higher rates the state pays, but that upfront cash has been used in the past for other purposes.

The downgrade is a blow to Democrats who for years have pointed to the state’s high credit ratings as a symbol of strong fiscal management. For others, it was seen as a sign the rating agencies were confident in a willingness among Maryland’s leaders — mostly Democrats — to raise taxes to pay its debts.

The rating downgrade was not wholly unexpected.

The warnings were there

When Moody’s last year reaffirmed the state’s AAA rating but lowered the state’s outlook from stable to negative, it cited concerns about looming structural deficits driven by programs like the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.

The 2024 report noted the state’s high costs but relatively stable personal income tax base that was bolstered by federal employment and its proximity to the District of Columbia.

But Moody’s expressed concerns then about Maryland’s pension liabilities, and “above average debt burden.” The agency also worried about Maryland’s “vulnerability to swings in federal spending.”

Last year’s rating and negative outlook incorporated the “difficulties Maryland will face to achieve balanced financial operations in coming years without sacrificing service delivery goals or increasing the tax burden on individual and corporate taxpayers.”

Moody’s analysts warned then that a downgrade could come if there was further economic deterioration that resulted “in deficits, fund transfers and reserve draws.” Analysts also raised concerns about an “insufficient plan” to quickly replenish reserve funds or reach a structural budget balance.

Cuts to federal jobs or the federal government’s “role in the state’s economy” might also cause a downgrade, Moody’s wrote in its 2024 report.

Administration officials earlier this year expressed concern about a potential downgrade, but thought that solving the state’s immediate financial concerns — more than $3 billion in structural deficits in fiscal 2026, and a nearly equal amount the following year — would satisfy the rating agency and protect Maryland’s credit rating.

External pressures come to bear

But as lawmakers and administration officials were negotiating cuts, cost shifts and $1.6 billion in taxes and fees, Moody’s issued another warning report. The March report listed Maryland as the state at highest risk for economic problems as the Trump administration slashed agency budgets and jobs.

The budget finalized by lawmakers reduced general fund spending — the portion paid directly by Maryland taxpayers — by $400 million, despite overall growth of about 1% when all funding sources are included.

That included more than $1 billion in combined one-time general fund actions and another $800 million in transfers from various accounts to the general fund budget, in addition to tax and fee increases.

The spending plan also eased the burden on the state by shifting some costs, including teacher pensions and costs for property tax assessments, to local governments.

The result was the elimination of the projected structural deficits for fiscal 2026 and 2027.

But those deficits return the following year and grow to more than $3 billion by 2030, according to projections included in a presentation to the bond rating agencies. All of those deficits are related to expected education spending that is part of the Blueprint plan.

Officials told the rating agencies that 70% of the costs could be controlled by the state.

Soon after the 2025 session ended, Moody’s issued a report downgrading the credit rating of the District of Columbia from AAA to Aa1. The firm cited impacts from federal workforce reductions as well as weakening demand for commercial real estate.

“I think a lot of us looked at that report and thought you could replace DC with Maryland because Maryland is going through all the same challenges,” said David Turner, a Moore spokesperson.

Presenting a united front

Last week, the state hosted all three bond rating agencies as part of its annual reviews ahead of the state’s June bond sale. Only Moody’s came to Maryland for face-to-face meetings; Fitch and Standard & Poor’s representatives met with state officials virtually.

Typically, those meetings include the state treasurer, comptroller, budget secretary, the director of the Bureau of Revenue Estimates and legislative analysts. But Moore, Ferguson, Jones took the rare step of meeting in person with Moody’s last Tuesday. The three also made brief comments as part of a united front in hopes of retaining the highest credit rating.

The three did not attend meetings with the other two firms. A spokesman for the governor acknowledged the concerns about a bond rating hit from Moody’s.

As a part of the presentation to the agencies, officials highlighted actions taken this year on the budget as well as the creation of a committee to track the effects of federal cuts on Maryland.

Layoff notices spiked in February and March, but “normalized in April,” according to a copy of the presentation obtained by Maryland Matters. Monthly federal employment showed no declines; unemployment claims showed no increase.

But state officials also acknowledged the chance of a delayed effect, as pending federal lawsuits over Trump actions are resolved. Another potential effect could come from employees who took buyouts and may apply for unemployment in the fall.

Officials told all three bond-rating agencies that the state was seeing stronger than projected income tax withholding. While initial projections for fiscal 2025 called for 5.5% growth, income tax collections were up 9’% through March, the presentation said.

The joint Democratic statement said leaders met with Moody’s “to discuss our collective work protecting the full faith and credit of the State of Maryland.”

“Together, we turned a deficit into a surplus, gave the middle class tax relief while still raising critical revenue through strategic tax reforms, and reduced spending by over $2 billion – the largest amount that’s been cut in a Maryland state budget in 16 years.” their statement said. “Maryland’s creditworthiness has only been strengthened by our collective work on this budget.”

Fitch and Standard & Poors are expected to release their own ratings in advance of the June bond sale. Officials have not expressed a heightened concern for a downgrade from either of the remaining agencies.

By Bryan P. Sears

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

County Council Highlights: It’s All about the Budget

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At the May 6 meeting of the Dorchester County Council, many people—public officials and citizens—approached the lectern to discuss the county’s budget and proposed tax changes.

Folks like Cambridge Mayor Lajan Cephas asked the council to reconsider a plan to remove a tax differential on county properties. Robert Aaron and Michelle Bourque offered warnings about possible housing cost hikes. Sharon Smith asked the council for more transparency, including about its budget, the published version of which is scant on details compared with other local governments.

Mary Ann Benson accused the council of potentially fraudulent activity, and Cambridge City Council president Sputty Cephas told the commissioners straight out that they looked like “they could care less” about what was being said. There was occasional tension in the air, such as when former Cambridge Mayor Cleveland Rippons harangued the council members, as well as frequent applause from the audience.

A common theme among the speakers was the hope that the county commissioners would reflect on what was said and consider their actions carefully.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

From and Fuller: The Impact of Poll Ratings on Trump and his new Digital Coin

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Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.

This week, Al and Craig discuss the low approval ratings for Donald Trump following his first 100 days in office. Al and Craig also discuss the ethics and legality of the Trump Coin, a product of the World Liberty Financial, 605 of which is owned by the Trump family. Al refers to Steve Rattner’s piece in the New York Times and Craig references the newspaper’s recent article on the curent president’s secret deals and foreign investments.

This video podcast is approximately 24 minutes in length.

To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:

 

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Four Eleven Kitchen’s Amanda Kidd on Succeeding in Food & Hospitality

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When about a hundred people gathered on September 12, 2024, for the grand opening of Four Eleven Kitchen at the Packing House in Cambridge, founder Amanda Kidd said, “Food is one of the things that drops all barriers.” This is something she witnessed first-hand as a child in Washington, DC. As she told the Star Democrat‘s Maggie Trovato last August, the foods made by her neighbors allowed her glimpses into different cultures.

That inspired her to get into the food and hospitality industry. Eventually, she started Beat the Rush food delivery service, and now she has Four Eleven, a shared-use professional kitchen facility and educational engagement space where nascent food businesses (“foodpreneurs”) can develop menus, experiment with dishes, and nurture customers while learning hospitality skills as well as how to comply with food-service guidelines.

The Spy recently met Kidd at Four Eleven to discuss her background and success with the new business.

You’ve been in food and hospitality since you were a teenager. What did you do?

KIDD: I mean, everything from amusement park hospitality, worked at Kings Dominion. So, that’s like the top tier you can get as a teenager. But I mean, worked in, I call them three-star, like Tropical Smoothies, Moe’s, those type of establishments. And then later elevated to Best Western Inn where I worked in banqueting and worked as a hostess, grew my passion and desire for food and hospitality even further by working alongside the chefs there.

How old were you when you decided to get into that? When you knew that that’s what you wanted to do.

KIDD: It wasn’t a “knew that I wanted to do” thing. It was something I’ve always gravitated to. It’s like a safe place, so it wasn’t a dedicated career path, if that makes sense.

Just kind of happened. It was just an instinct.

KIDD: I mean, it was an area that I felt comfortable in.

Why is that?

KIDD: Because I always had a passion for food. So, growing up in the kitchen with my grandparents all the time, whether it was family dinner, holiday dinner, a gathering, we were always in the kitchen, always cooking. So, it was just a place of comfort for me.

Where did you go to school?

KIDD: So, I started at Liberty University and then took a pause, actually ended up going to massage school for a period of time, while working, figuring out what I wanted to do. But then I went back to school, to University of Phoenix online, and then I took some classes here at Chesapeake [College], as well.

Was that after you had a family of your own? Because that’s usually when you do it online, because it’s a necessity.

KIDD: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And you’ve owned other businesses in this arena before. Like Beat the Rush.

KIDD: Yeah, so Beat the Rush is a more concierge hospitality side of things, more so than the actual food side.

Why’d you decide to do that?

KIDD: So, started out, had family needs that I saw other individuals experiencing the same thing, and whether it was limited transportation to get the foods and the essential things that they needed in their homes, which is probably a good percentage of Americans these days. But our community here and then also my personal family at the time–my mom was battling cancer. So, she had those same challenges as getting foods, fresh foods, things into the home. So, Beat the Rush was a concept that she and I talked about for a long time based off of what we saw her challenges, other challenges of those that were sharing the treatment rooms with her. You know, they talked about a lot of their challenges.

And so it was always a desire of ours to expand it to where it could help multiple communities, which is still in the works. So, even though we paused for a little bit to get Four Eleven off the ground, because a lot of what Beat the Rush embodied, which was supporting local producers of food, farmers, we found that there was a need. There was a need for the local caterers, local farmers, and being able to produce their foods. They kept getting turned away from the health department for certain items that they needed, that they desire to produce.

Can you explain that?

KIDD: Because they didn’t have commercial kitchen access. And so, Four Eleven Kitchen bridges that gap to provide the commercial kitchen access. So, now they can continue to grow their business and scale it the way that they decided to. But, with Beat the Rush, it was more than just based off of a need. It is a challenge for a lot of small businesses to do all the things in their business.

So, Beat the Rush embodied a department–we were logistics, concierge, hospitality. We embodied a department for that. Some business owners could not fathom creating, having their own departments, not starting out at the gate. So, a lot of people that we serve were startups just like us. So, we believe in community. We believe in collaboration. And so, collaboration allows us to leverage each other to grow.

So, how does Four Eleven Kitchen work?

KIDD: So, Four Eleven Kitchen, we are, I would say a food and hospitality incubator. So, we give the support to the foodpreneurs by providing them assistance with business development, community, and access to commercial kitchen. We also provide access to resources, subject matter experts, industry, connections that can help them to further grow their business; but, even where they are right now, help them to maintain until they get to that place of momentum and ready to really grow and scale. A lot of what people miss is community because, I don’t know if you have any insight of the food industry, but it can be pretty cutthroat and where there’s a lot of competitive behavior. That’s something that I believe has kind of crushed the industry, because it’s so much competitiveness versus collaboration.

And a lot of times, like, we have the two users today: Fusion Eats, they are soul and savory food, but Blue’s Flowers is bakery sweet decadent. So, one can complement the other. And you can have days where you can have pop-up events, where everyone’s able to receive support, and the community can do just like what they do when they go to Wawa. They go to Wawa, they get a burger and a brownie, you’re still getting from two separate vendors, and a lot of people don’t really see that connection. So, bringing that aspect and putting that before the community, showing them, like, there is collaboration there, this is how it works together. So, I believe Four Eleven Kitchen will be that bridge and that barrier-breaking at the same time, breaking the barriers of the mind that “Okay, I can patronize two separate food businesses,” but then bridging the gap to “this is how we do it.” And that’s through Four Eleven.

So, one of the things that we also do–and I mentioned the mind. So, we have an initiative called Feed the People. And so, Feed the People is an initiative that embodies education and also actual feeding of people. So, we’re feeding minds and feeding bellies. And so, we have programming that is actually launching this summer that we have cooking classes. And I don’t want to say “cooking classes” in the culinary and certification-type cooking classes, but more of a community engagement, community development-style of cooking classes where people in the community can come together. There can be, let’s just say cookie decorating, learn how to decorate cookies, learn how to–and something fun you can do with your family, your friends, your neighbors, co-workers. Organization groups can come in and do it together.

But then, the other aspect of it is teaching people how to feed themselves. So, giving them those soft skills, showing them that it’s not like you have to go get a degree to learn how to make good food, how to make healthy food, how to make good foods, comfort foods that you love in a healthy way. So, it’s really kind of like playing off of those type of opportunities. And then we have an initiative, a part of that initiative is our urban farm. And that urban farm is going to support the learning aspect–getting in, making the mistakes, learning the intricacies of gardening and farming from different facilitators such as University of Maryland Extension Master Gardeners, local farmers, food educators who we will partner with to provide access to that information.

Where will this urban farming take place?

KIDD: Lincoln Terrace and Douglas Street. Are you familiar with that, off of Washington Street? So, in that corridor there, they actually just started building some new homes back there with Habitat. And then the, I think it’s [Department of Housing and Community Development], are building some homes as well back there. So, it’s a kind of our concept of it piggybacked off of the Habitat being in that community because they were beautifying and making creative spaces there. And so, we actually started with Habitat donating the property to the city, and the city and us are coming into a partnership to be able to occupy that as an urban farm. So, it’s a community effort.

The educational part of it, or helping them with their business plan or whatever. Where does that take place? Like, do you sit down at a desk?

KIDD: Yeah. I mean, depending on their schedules, we would sit down face-to-face and be able to do it, but then we can do it virtually, as well. A lot of the foodpreneurs, they do hold other careers. So, it’s based off of their scheduling and whatever works for them.

How many active clients do you have at the moment?

KIDD: Active we have, I wanna say six, but it can fluctuate as far as, because we have non-member use. So, we have members and non-members. So, in memberships I would say six. But, as far as use, it fluctuates this month depending on rental needs.

Your rental prices, they were pretty reasonable. What I saw on your website, it seemed pretty reasonable.

KIDD: Yeah. We really are trying to keep that low startup for them, depending on where they’re at depends on what tiers they take on, and they’re able to fluctuate through those tiers as they adjust in their business and learn their business model.

You had a quotation from Maya Angelou on your Events page: “Nothing works unless you do.” What does that mean to you?

KIDD: So, we can have a thought and we can have a concept and an idea, but until we actually put our hands to it, until we do it, it doesn’t work. And even when doing it, sometimes we find that there are things that need to be adjusted. But when you stop because of the adjustments, then you stop all of the progress, all of the potential. So, it must continue. The work must continue. You must continue to do it. Even if there’s a challenge, even if there’s a hiccup, something that you didn’t foresee, it’s best to just navigate. You know what you can learn about it to kind of pivot or readjust and then continue on, but it won’t work unless you do.

What would your mom say about your success at this point?

KIDD: Man, so, I believe she would say, “I knew you could do it.” Yeah.

She had a lot of faith in you.

KIDD: Yes, yeah, I believe she could say, I mean, “You can do it.” And she, like, even up until her passing, she kept saying “Start the business, start the business.” I actually didn’t start any of my businesses until two years after she passed.

But she was in on planning Beat the Rush.

KIDD: She was. I mean, she was the prototype, it was because of her life and what she was experiencing. You know, Dad working two jobs at the time, probably three–didn’t know about the third one until, like, later on. Parents do what they have to do to keep the families afloat. And it was always a scheduling, like scheduling to get to the store to then prepare. We had sports and you had other family activities and life happening, and it’s like trying to get to the store. And we were at the very beginning of when Giant started Peapod. So, like, that’s when all that stuff was navigating.

And I was away at school and learned that Mom was sick. And it was like, “Mom, I can’t get you food.” Like, “I don’t know how to get you food.” And she was like, “You should start the business.” I was like, “What do you mean?” Like, that wasn’t a concept to me. Like, start a business. Like, we never talked about starting a business. And I didn’t actually get into business school until after she said start the business. And I was just like, I need to know what she’s talking about because this doesn’t make sense. But she was the prototype. She was the flame, the lighter fluid to the flame. She was all of that. And she’s what keeps me going. My kids also keep me going. My husband keeps me going, and those that have a need keep me going. So, if there’s a need, I’m going to keep going.

You officially opened here September 12th.

KIDD: But we’ve been an organization since 2022. … It’s been several years in the making just to get here. But even prior to that, this kitchen concept, Four Eleven, the name hadn’t been birthed yet, but the kitchen concept had been in our original business plan. So we knew that our foodpreneurs were going to need space to work out of if we were going to continue to have a thriving catering community.

There’s so many caterers, so many different food providers, food service providers, whether it’s meal prepping, whether it’s baked goods, whether it’s food products that we have in our community that we love so much. They need kitchen space, and a lot of it cannot be made in their homes. And the regulations, they have a limitation to what can be prepared in home and actually be sold for retail. So, we feel that that gap of when they hit that limitation and they’re able to then come here and prepare.

What does it feel like to blaze trails and solve problems?

KIDD: It’s, like, you pinch yourself–like, that’s me. Like, that’s what I’m doing. To me, it’s like I’m just waking up and doing what’s inside of me to do. But like, people like yourself that put the title of trailblazer or groundbreaking or things like that–it’s not something that I really think about. So, I mean, it’s definitely humbling to know that I have been given a vision and be able to innovate in a way that can help others along the way. So, it’s really an honor to be able to do it all.

For more information, visit the website.

Thanks to Debra R. Messick (Talbot Spy) and Tom McCall (Star Democrat) for supplementary material.

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

A Spy/WHCP Check-in with Chief of Police Justin Todd

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The Spy’s P. Ryan Anthony and WHCP radio’s Jim Brady recently had their quarterly conversation with Cambridge Police Chief Justin Todd.

Topics included the new drone program CPD is putting into action. The aerial devices can be used for multiple purposes around the city, indoors and out, including tactics, communication, and rescue.

In cooperation with the health department’s Sue Radcliffe, CPD officers have been spending lunchtimes with kids at Choptank Elementary School, where students ask them about their equipment and how they became police officers. As part of community policing, the program is a great way to develop relationships with young citizens.

Though they don’t yet have their statistics for the first quarter of this year, some significant issues the department has been dealing with lately are thefts from vehicles, domestic calls, and disorderly conduct. Through proactive means, they hope to keep crime down as the summer approaches.

CPD recently celebrated the female members of the department and their contributions. Chief Todd promised to continue promoting the accomplishments of different segments of the community, especially diversity in the police ranks. Additionally, the chief emphasized the vital part that the civilian staff plays in the day-to-day operation of the department.

The citizen police academy is getting underway and will allow participants to see how the department functions on a daily basis and what training new officers must go through. And recently a number of officer prospects passed the physical agility test and will be proceeding through the process that will hopefully take them on to the police academy.

The video is approximately 11 minutes long.

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Checking in with Superintendent Thompson on $5.5 Million Deficit and More

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In a Zoom interview, the Spy’s P. Ryan Anthony talks with Dorchester County Public Schools superintendent Dr. Jymil Thompson to get an update on the district’s serious budget shortfall and its potential impacts.

With a $5.5 million deficit as of late March, the district is negotiating with its staff unions to address unmet funding promises, including a proposed $3.5 million in raises. If those raises are deferred, the gap narrows, but an estimated 12 to 24 staff positions may still be eliminated.

There is a discussion of how early retirements and attrition are being used to reduce costs, and what will be determined at the next budget meeting. The conversation also turns to the effect these cuts may have on staff morale and the school system’s long-term academic goals, particularly its aim to raise its statewide ranking from 23rd to 15th.

On a more uplifting note, you’ll hear how the Cambridge-South Dorchester Vikings’ state basketball championship has offered the community a much-needed morale boost. Finally, they discuss the recent adoption of Freedom on My Mind, an AP African American history textbook, and its significance in offering students broader, more inclusive educational perspectives.

The video is approximately 8 minutes long.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

YMCA Partners with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading in Cambridge

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The racquetball courts have been gutted, as has the band/choir room. This section of the Pauline F. and W. David Robbins Family YMCA in Cambridge will be transformed into a reading hub for young children, thanks to $300,000 in funding provided by novelist-philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. It’s necessary to renovate this area for the new use because there is nowhere else in the facility for it. And what’s a reading campaign without reading space?

The Robbins Y has recently partnered with the Dorchester County Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, which focuses on ensuring that children from low-income families succeed in school and graduate prepared for college, a career, and active citizenship. Reading proficiency by the end of third grade is a critical milestone in a child’s educational development, serving as a key predictor of future academic success and high school graduation.

Sadly, Dorchester County currently ranks 21st of 24 counties in third-grade reading proficiency in Maryland, and recent assessments have highlighted the need for focused intervention. Through this new partnership, the Robbins Y aims to address these challenges by implementing the elements of the CGLR: targeted kindergarten readiness strategies, decreasing chronic absenteeism, enhancing and expanding literacy programs, engaging families, mobilizing community resources to support young readers, and increasing access to out-of-school time activities. The goal is to increase the number of Dorchester County third graders reading at grade level from 21% to 50% in the next eight years.

As the “backbone agency” of the local campaign, the Y will coordinate efforts among various stakeholders, including the John and Janice Wyatt Foundation, Dorchester County Public Schools, the Chamber of Commerce, Moving Dorchester Forward, and other community organizations.

The Spy recently chatted with Robbie Gill, CEO of the YMCA of the Chesapeake, about their part in this endeavor and why it is so important.

Did you volunteer to coordinate or were you asked?

GILL: So, we had attended the screening of a movie, Sentenced, that was done by [basketball star] Steph Curry, and really were moved by that. And then listening to [Dorchester County Public Schools Superintendent] Dr. Jymil Thompson and [Talbot County Public Schools Superintendent] Dr. [Sharon] Pepukayi kind of speak to the challenges around grade level reading, we started to figure, think a bit about how could we get involved. And then when we heard the statistic was 21% of kids in Dorchester County can read on grade level by third grade, we thought, “All right, we need to get involved.”

And so, we had some conversations with the John and Janice Wyatt Foundation Executive Director Matt Peterson and took a tour of some work they’re doing in Winchester, Virginia. And then from there thought, “Man, we could be a really good partner and help move the needle here.” And so, I think it was really through that moment of watching that movie and thinking a little more about should the Y be involved and how could we make a difference, that we said, “Hey, we’re here to help if we can get involved.” So, it was kind of an organic moment for us.

You’ve been involved with the campaign in some way for years.

GILL: So, we were doing early learning programming in the Greenwood community and very involved with that and were a part of the coalition. Never really thinking much about playing this leadership role. But it was kind of through that transition where we saw, not only saw the movie, but they were looking for a leader to step in. And we thought, “Okay, maybe we should play a bigger role than what we’re playing and have the capacity to do that.”

What does it mean that you’re the “backbone agency?”

GILL: So, basically what that means is we’re the facilitators of meetings of the coalition and all the partners that are doing work to support this campaign for grade-level reading. And so that’s a variety of organizations from the library to the school system to His Hope Ministries and all these other different groups that are working with kids. The Judy Center, WIC. And so it’s the backbone agency. You’re pulling those groups together, you’re providing information, training support, data, analyzing where potential gaps may be and trying to fill those in, working with the collective.

So, as an example, we know one of the gaps in this community is from this birth-to-kindergarten. Like there are limited programs and services that are out there to serve kids at a level that were ready for kindergarten. That’s a gap for us. And so, as a backbone agency, we’re going to work hard not only as a YMCA to offer more programming to help kids be kindergarten-ready but also supporting other not-for-profits and other community organizations serving kids to make that a bigger focus. So, you’re really kind of coordinating the collective group of partners and collecting data.

Do you think the goal of 50% of third graders reading on grade level within eight years is realistic?

GILL: That’s a great question. So, if you break it down, yes, but it’s a heavy lift, right? If you would have, we would have figured it out already. Everybody would already be doing it. And it’s an issue for us across the state and across the entire country. But I think if you eat the elephant in small bits, you can do it. And so, we need to do more around this birth-to-kindergarten focus to where kids are ready for kindergarten. There needs to be heavier work on chronic absenteeism. If kids aren’t in school, like that can be tough, right? You can fall behind. And so, what can we do as an organization and as a campaign to help create incentive strategies to support schools to keep kids in class?

And then you’ve got to have a strong, robust enrichment after-school time. So, when kids are out of school that they’re in enrichment-based programs that are helping them continue to grow in the summer, that there’s opportunities for them to where they’re not dealing with summer learning-loss. Kids that aren’t engaged in programming in the summer, fall, back as much as six months. And so, you gotta have that piece, too.

And then, lastly, for kids who need really one-on-one help, that we’ve created a reading-mentor strategy to where, if I’m a child that needs additional help, I can be paired with a mentor who meets with me maybe here at the Y twice a week to help me with my reading. And I think, if you break those pieces out and you really start working at it, you can do it. There’s 360 kids, roughly, born in this county in a year. So, it’s not a massive number. You just have to make sure you’re connecting to those little ones when they’re infants and those families and then, as they get a little older, they get to twos and threes, that you’re like, “Okay, here are all these ways you can get your kids involved in programming that can help them be kindergarten-ready.”

And what does kindergarten-ready look like? You know, that’s “I can tie my shoes, I can eat at the table on my own, I’m potty trained, I have an attention span for 15 or 20 minutes, I can keep my hands to myself.” It’s kind of things that we don’t really think much about, but they’re key functional parts of being ready for kindergarten. If you have six or seven kids in a class of 15 or 16 that can’t do that, the teacher’s gonna spend most of their time navigating corrective behavior and not teaching. And so, yeah, I think if we just really work at it, absolutely, it’s totally doable. If we didn’t think we could move the needle, we wouldn’t have gotten involved at this level. So yeah, we believe we can do it.

So, you mentioned the reading tutoring that could happen here. What other activities would be happening here at the Y?

GILL: Well, so, I really believe that having especially little kids involved in programming at an early age can build a base around attention span and keeping your hands on yourself and all the things we just talked about. And so, we’ll be running more programming for smaller children. … So, I think, you know, it’s not just about reading books at that young age. It’s also about having kids in programs to where they’re learning some of those skills. Like, if I’m in a four-year-old swim lesson at the Y, not every kid is in the pool swimming at once. So, I have to learn to sit on the side and wait and I have to take direction, I have to trust my instructor and all those pieces with the mentoring piece too.

We feel like we have about 800 members at this YMCA that would be good candidates for mentor-reading mentors because they’re either semi-retired or retired and would have some time to do that. And so, our goal is to find about a hundred folks that could support that effort.

And then this space that we’re converting, which was the old band room and choir room here, that’ll be the reading hub. It provides an opportunity where, if you wanted to have Saturday morning book-reading events for young kids and their families to come in, and you can do that. And that’s like a, you know, it’s more interactive today than just someone holding a book. You can see that pretty regularly within the libraries. So, just accessibility and opportunity is kind of key.

And how do we make sure as a community, not only the Y is making a bigger focus on that, but everyone else is working with kids, whether it’s churches or other not-for-profits, that they’re focused on expanding that? And then most importantly, how do we communicate that in a way that parents know, “Here are all the opportunities I have to get my kids involved”?

What else do you want to tell me about the program?

GILL: Well, for us to be successful in this as a community, we’re going to have to have everyone involved. And I know that this collaborative effort has been going on since 2023, and it’s our goal to reinvigorate that and get people excited about it. It’s a huge need. I would argue it might be one of the greatest needs in this community, period. When you think about that many kids not being able to be on grade level by third grade, I mean, it is one of the most prominent indicators of success as an adult.

And so, my hope would be that as we continue to talk to folks about getting involved, that people would think about how they could play a role, whether it’s directly or indirectly through volunteering or financially supporting the program. I think the more people we get engaged and involved in this that care about it and see the need, I think the more successful we’ll be.

And just maybe last thing, [we’re] appreciative of the Wyatt Foundation, John and Janice, that they call this place home and that they see that as a need and willing to invest time and resources in this. I mean, that’s a big deal. That makes a big difference. It’s unrealistic to believe that we can, in today’s world, we can send our kids to school and expect that they’re going to have everything that they need. We’re putting too much on public education to believe that I can send a kid in there in kindergarten, and they’re going to be good all the way through 12th grade. We’ve got to do more as communities to make sure kids are ready and then, even once they get there, that we’re supporting them.

I wasn’t a super-sharp reader as a kid and needed a lot of extra help and fortunately grew up in a place where I was able to get that. And that was super helpful for me. I heard a saying from a mentor of mine a long time ago: “There are no throwaway kids.” So, we need to dedicate as much resources as we can to make an impact. And the more people we can get involved, the better.

Are you excited about leading this effort?

GILL: Yeah, man, I’m pumped. It’s going to be cool. I mean, kids are great. And reading is something that inspires your creative side. Like, when you read a book, it’s on your terms. You know, when you watch a TV show, it’s like they’re giving you the script. But when you read something, it’s in your scope. So, how you read it and perceive that story is how you do it. There’s a lot of freedom in that, and there’s a lot of creativity in that, and it’s very empowering.

Maybe the part of that movie [Sentenced] I struggled the most with is watching those adults struggle to just live day to day. Like the one girl that couldn’t work the cash register because she couldn’t read the menu. And then the other thing about that is you see how that lack of literacy passes down to future generations. Like, it’s pretty scary, right? So, being able to read is a big deal. It should be like walking or learning to swim. I think learning to swim should be the same way. Like, everyone should have that skill. Reading is the same way. It’s a gateway to future success.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Watermen Closing Out Wild Oyster Season

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Lewis Carter, 79, has been oystering and crabbing since he was 15 years old. DENNIS FORNEY PHOTOS

A warm and sunny afternoon in late March. Light winds. A dozen or so deadrises still oystering out on Broad Creek.

Many of the boats have already come in; the earliest, two young divers who have been the first to get their 12-bushel limits for many days now.

Price has been holding steady at $35 per bushel to the watermen. Pretty much about that all season. When the wild season ends, the bushel price may nearly double for cultivated oysters. Supply goes down, demand holds steady for another couple months, price goes up.  Like the tides, up and down.

Last day of the 2024-2025 wild oyster season is just around the corner: March 31.  On April 1, the 2025 crabbing season opens.

Two of the vessels working the hand-tonging waters on this day carry watermen many generations apart in ages.

A third vessel, Bobby B, carries a waterman and his partner, Ann Barrett, who shares the culling chores. They’re underway toward the dock to offload.

Jason Gay can’t wait for the season to end.

“So many boats out there, after six months it’s getting harder and harder to get our oysters.”

They’ve been oystering many years. Six-month seasons, starting Oct. 1.  When March 31 arrives, they’re ready for a change of pace.  Then it will be about six months of crabbing.  When October rolls around, Jason will be glad to trade his trotline for his hand tongs.  That’s the rhythm for these watermen.

“I’ll probably start crabbing in mid April,” he says. “Get the boat cleaned up and then go.”

Tonging oysters off the bottom is dirtier work than dipping crabs from trotline baits.

Off will come the tongs and culling tables.  On will come the canopy to provide shade against the sun, along with the trotlining gear: baskets and nets and measuring sticks.

Jason Gay is ready for the wild oyster season to be over.

Out in the creek, men aboard the two other generations-apart vessels have finished tonging.  They’re near the end of their culling: separating legal-size oysters from the smalls with sharp blows from their metal hammers, tossing over empty shells to catch next year’s spat, filling their final baskets of the day.

Lewis Carter works by himself. “No January, no February for me,” he says.  “Can’t stand no cold. Used to break ice to get out here but no more. I’m 79 years old.  Been doing this since I was 15.  64 years.  Charles Bryan took me on when I was 11, culling oysters, cleaning up. Quit school when I was 15. Other than time in the Army,  I’ve been at this ever since.”

Lewis says he opted for the water to make a living. “Back then the minimum wage was 75 cents an hour. Figured I could do better on the water.”

Lewis trotlines summers out of Kent Narrows, mostly in Cabin Creek and Chester River. He lives nearby in Queenstown but brings his boat down  to Broad Creek in the winter for oysters. “They won’t let you oyster in the Chester, only certain times they have reserved.”

He says he doesn’t like the sanctuaries the state has in place where oystering is prohibited.  He doesn’t think the sanctuaries are doing much for the Chesapeake’s oyster populations. “The oysters have always taken care of themselves.”

He named his boat after his granddaughter, Chelonte.  “I bought it off of Capt. Warren Butler.  He had 17 boats over the years.  This was his last one.”

He said this year’s been a good oyster season. “Good oysters, about the same as last year. I guess I’ll keep on doing it until I can’t do it any more.  It’s better than settin’ home, waiting for death.  I’ll meet him halfway.”

A few hundred yards away, also working the typically productive bars of Broad Creek, just north of the Choptank, Kadan Longenecker and Severn Cummings agree that the 2024-2025 season has been a good year despite the ups and downs of the market.

Kadan says the bars are in good shape with lots of little ones still coming. “You can see the growth in them.”

Many decades younger than Lewis, they worked right on through January and February, as long as they had market and weather cooperated.  They’ll follow suit with Lewis, switching to crabbing. They will start in April

But Lewis said he won’’t start until probably the middle of May.  He’ll take his time switching his gear, giving his lean and hard body a rest, letting the air and water warm up, but giving little thought to staying home as he enters his eighth decade of life on the Chesapeake.

Dennis Forney has been a publisher, journalist and columnist on the Delmarva Peninsula since 1972.  He writes from his home on Grace Creek in Bozman.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Congressman Jamie Raskin Speaks at Cambridge Town Hall

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On March 22, the political groups Cambridge Indivisible and Eastern Shore Indivisible held a “People’s Town Hall” for a packed house in the Mace’s Lane Middle School gymnasium. In response to Congressional Representative Andy Harris’ refusal to participate in an in-person event with constituents, this gathering featured Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin of Montgomery County. Raskin made a speech without notes before the very friendly and lively crowd and then listened to a few personal stories of attendees before answering some questions from the audience.

“I know I was not your first choice,” Raskin began, “but I heard your congressman couldn’t quite squeeze you in today.”

He continued, “I keep hearing my Republican colleagues talking about paid protesters. Is anybody out there being paid to be here today?”

The crowd yelled, “No!”

“Well,” said Raskin, “what’s interesting to me is that the people who are showing up are not paid protesters, but the people who are not showing up are paid politicians.”

He explained that town halls are supposed to be for representatives to report on what they’ve been doing and then listen to the constituents. He said he wouldn’t have shown up for the event if he’d been in Washington voting against Medicaid and trying to dismantle the government, alluding to the absent Harris.

Raskin went on to ridicule Donald Trump’s recent State of the Union address as a “seven-hour Fidel Castro style speech,” during which Trump accused NIH of spending $8 million on developing “transgender mice.” Raskin said he’d looked up the project to find that they were “transgenic mice” (injected with DNA).

“My friends,” he said, “we are being governed by morons.”

Every aspect of the US Constitution is under attack by President Trump and his associate Elon Musk, claimed Raskin. So, he announced he would give a “refresher course into the Constitution because America needs it.” After reciting the preamble, Raskin discussed Article I and the powers of Congress, including to raise taxes and armies, levy tariffs, and regulate immigration. Then, he went to Article II, the most important part of which is how to impeach a president.

“The core job of the president is simple: to take care that the laws are faithfully executed,” said Raskin, who then addressed Trump with “Do your job!”

The congressman then talked about current court cases brought against the Trump Administration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. These included the attack on birthright citizenship, freezes on funding, the attempt to close the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the collection of Social Security data. Raskin said that most Americans oppose authoritarianism and that they should stand up for women’s reproductive rights, the LGBTQ community, and freedom of speech.

Raskin threw out a number of quips and quotable lines, including “A rally a day keeps the fascists away,” “In this age of artificial intelligence, we need some intelligence,” and “Elon Musk may be the richest man in the world, but he doesn’t own the American people.”

After his speech, he took some questions, such as “What can we do to fight?” and “What can we do to make the Democratic Party cool again?” (Raskin’s responses: Start by getting your data back from Elon Musk and reach out to young people.) Toward the end, a woman asked Raskin if he would ever run for president, and he answered that he would do whatever the people asked of him.

The video (with thanks to Rick Hughes) is approximately 30 minutes in length.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.